Statement of Lama Ole Nydahl concerning questions about the present tragedy in Tibet: " Diamond Way Buddhism leaves everybody free to have their own political  convictions therefore these statements can only be my own personal  experiences concerning Tibetan feelings and views: During my years of involvement and staying in the Himalayas since 1968, I have not met a single Tibetan who saw the Chinese annexion of their country in a positive light.
During the first years their main complaint was that between 20-25 % of the country's inhabitants had starved due to mistaken agricultural directives from Beijing or been killed in prison camps or during self-criticism meetings or acts of war. The destruction of their religion, the gutting of its monasteries and inhuman treatment and killing of its leaders stayed engraved on their minds and was constantly mentioned. As the Chinese put the blame for the Cultural Revolution on the "Gang of Four" and Deng started a liberal period, many Tibetans were willing to at least work under the given conditions. As the Chinese started influencing the choice of incarnate Lamas, however, and brought such massive amounts of foreign immigrants into Tibet, that the nature of their country totally changed and they became a minority, this new  wave of unrest probably became unavoidable. As everywhere, when men with stones in their hands face machine guns this is a total tragedy and it should not be impossible for such a great power as China to give them the autonomy which is all they can realistically expect. May this become possible before yet more lives are lost and the entry of the great and cultural Chinese nation into the world’s free and democratic states is seriously questioned. The Tibetans are not a violent race and there must be ways that their rightful wishes for freedom can be met. It will be a great and unforgettable act on the  side of the Chinese otherwise far-seeing leadership if they can do this." Yours Lama Ole Nydahl, Denmark

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» Lama Ole's travel plan

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Almost every day he is in a different city, passing on Buddha's teachings. He has founded over 550 meditation and study centers around the world, from Vladivostok to San Francisco. Lama Ole Nydahl is probably the best known western buddhist teacher. Since he and his wife Hannah met the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa while honeymooning in Nepal in 1968, they have dedicated their lives to Buddhism. They spent three years in the Himalayas as Karmapa's personal students receiving Buddhist teachings and developing the needed experience in meditation.

Gyalwa Karmapa is the spiritual leader of the ancient Karma Kagyu lineage, one of the main schools of Tibetan Buddhism. In 1972, the 16th Karmapa directed Lama Ole Nydahl to found the first European Karma Kagyu center in Ole's hometown of Copenhagen, Denmark. Ever since then, Lama Ole has traveled around the world visiting, teaching and founding new centers. There are now over 450 centers worldwide, with thousands of friends meditating and studying in America, England, Australia and Canada, with active and energetic groups in South America, Russia, and all over Europe.

Other than passing on vivid and authentic Buddhist teachings (always with a touch of dry Danish humor) in his frequent lectures, Lama Ole also gives longer meditation courses to teach the timeless practical methods of Diamond Way Buddhism, such as the foundational practices or Phowa, a meditation which is very useful at the moment of death. Since the death of the 16th Karmapa in 1981, Lama Ole Nydahl has kept the Diamond Way Centers of the Karma Kagyu Lineage around the world together. He continues to work with the centers under the spiritual guidance of the 17th Karmapa, Thaye Dorje.

Documents:
» Download letter of H.H. Gyalwa Karmapa about Hannah (pdf)
» Download Lama Ole's letter about Hannah (pdf)
» Download Lama Jigme Rinpoches letter about Hannah (pdf)
»  S.H. Shamar Rinpoche about Lama Ole Nydahls title (pdf)